A Better Way to Worktree

After getting worktree-pilled by Primeagen, I've consistently been using worktrees for the past two years.

But I recently learned git clone --bare is suboptimal – there's a better way to clone a repo for worktree usage that doesn't require creating extra branches just for the worktree workflow.

Here's the fastest, cleanest way I've found to clone a repo for usage with worktress. Works every time, without needing to run git gc all the time to clean up storage bloat.

I use it in zsh, but it should work in bash. Fish bros, sorry I have no clue.

function git-empty-clone() {
  # Useful for cloning a repo suitable for use with git worktrees
  # Taken from this stack overflow answer:
  # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/54367011/git-bare-repositories-worktrees-and-tracking-branches
  if [ $# -lt 2 ]; then
    echo "Usage: git-empty-clone <repo-url> <target-dir>"
    return 1
  fi

  local repo_url="$1"
  local target_dir="$2"

  git clone "$repo_url" "$target_dir" || return 1
  cd "$target_dir" || return 1

  # Create an empty root commit
  local empty_tree
  empty_tree=$(git hash-object -t tree /dev/null)
  local empty_commit
  empty_commit=$(echo | git commit-tree "$empty_tree")

  # Checkout the empty commit in detached HEAD
  git checkout "$empty_commit"
  echo "Use git worktree add <branch_name> to start using worktrees."
}

Example usage to clone my vim configs and add a worktree for the dev branch:

git-empty-clone git@github.com:whoislewys/vim_runtime.git vim_runtime.git
git worktree add dev

Read the thread in the function's comment to learn why it works and uncover the mystery of the git empty tree: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/54367011/git-bare-repositories-worktrees-and-tracking-branches